Samsung's rumoured cheaper Tab S9 tablet is already top of my shopping list

At a Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in August 2023, a new Galaxy Tab S9 series of tablets was unveiled. They look set to be some of the best in the business, but they're also seriously pricey. 

I recently reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and it’s an amazing piece of kit but it’s not cheap at more than a grand apiece. Even the most affordable slate in the series costs £/$799!  

Let’s face it - the best tablets are expensive, and while they’re nice to have, it’s not easy to justify buying something that seems like more of a luxury than an essential. 

However, as we've mentioned during T3’s Back to Class month, there are 5 reasons to buy a tablet instead of a laptop. They're much more portable and versatile amongst other things, plus they’re great for using more leisurely than a PC.

With that in mind, all of Samsung's new devices could prove to be something you make use of every day for both work and play, although admittedly that doesn't help so much with the cost. 

That might soon change - recent rumours floating around the tech-sphere suggest that a new slate is on its way that will cost a lot less - the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+. Typically, Samsung’s FE devices (Fan Editions) are a lot cheaper than the originals, packing only the most popular features and stripping things back elsewhere. 

One of the slates, the FE+ has been spotted on the Korean Testing Laboratory (KTL) and NBTC certification websites by MySmartPrice, and they’ve let us know what to expect. It’s looking likely that there will be both a Wi-Fi-only model and one with 5G connectivity, Samsung will likely use their own Exynos 1380 chipset under the hood and it will have 45W charging and a 9800mAh battery. That’s about all we know so far so watch this space!  

If you just can't wait then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra are available to buy now.